#odyssey

Surprise filters true... she probes at that part of her mind, like prodding at a wound to see if it is still sore.

If she thinks of Jude? Oh yeah, still, some dark feelings there.. if she thinks of Kassedy? It seems to be gone.

She retreats from the thoughts of Jude - retreats, but does not flee in terror.. and tries another thought. It takes a bit to work up to it, but she brings another Liam to mind. Sir Carowyn... the way he appeared to her when he first came to the doorway of the lodge, early on in her probation. She tests that memory.

She knows how she DID feel, as for how she feels now? Caution but not that dread or loathing. Even a bit glad for Sally Mae if he's really making her happy. Like Kassedy, he's Autumn, Not Arcadian, maybe that helps. Yes, she might be nervous, but not that urge to hug the opposing wall until can find an exit?

"One last..." She dives into her thoughts once more. She has to know the extent of this, before she returns to face the Waking World.

Does she know any other Arcadian Liam? She hasn't gone out of her way to meet them, no, of course not. There was that one Baron, seen in passing when she visited EarthRunes to see Siv, still in knight training. A pang of pain there, thinking of her lover left behind. But she focuses, bringing up the last image she can think of, the spit-curled Baron who dared step into the bar, and from whom she had fled, drink untouched.

She prods at the memory, quietly marveling. The wound, once open, gaping and bleeding - it's not gone, there are still scars there, but it's... more of a dull ache, a twinge, and not a debilitating injury.

"I think you have..."

"Wonderful... but you deserve 7/10th the credit. The pains and challenges were yours. Now, you're going to wake up so to speak, return to your here and now, it's going to hurt. Your body has been through high stress, painful memories and outlooks... at the least that's some hypertension, and pain , like anything in he dreaming takes some literalism. In short, at best? You'e going to be sore"

And she snaps to realize she really is aching

It feels like she had a lot of stress..which, she did, and maybe fell down some stairs but landed okay

"Piper, you'rre distressing me. Please waken" Jonas fusses

"Mmm. 5 more minutes."

She opens her eyes, and looks for Jonas. "How long...?"

"You've been thrashing what felt like two hours... but.. Zane rreminded me time is fluid here"

"Two hours?" She rubs at her arms, which ache, and stumbles getting to her feet. "Feels more like... not even days... weeks, maybe..."

"Relative" Zane reminds "Bit stiff there, Cous"

"Relative... so that means, this hasn't been so long in the real world, then?"

"We could return back annd findn a week has passed, or return five minutes after we left" Zane says

"Wizards are so helpful" Rikki says dryly

Carefully they help Piper along, ready to return to the Autumn World

"I wish..." She says, as she leans on her friends. "I wish I could take something back."

"Like a souvenir?"

"More like... a memento. I don't want to forget what I've learned, from one of my past lives. If I could remember who we were, at the very least, maybe I could find something - something tangible, in the autumn world, to help her remember me..."

"Hold onto the flask you drank out, " Zane says "And...let me work some magic on it. It will help"

"That's not what I meant..." She offers it out anyways.

He takes it, and intones 'Non Obiviosa'

a bit of magic is worked

"Sniff the fumes when we get back" he suggests

She looks confused, but nods. "Are you going to explain, or do that obnoxious wizard thing?"

"Obnoxious wizard thing" He says loftily

Jonas shakes his head, and they head on

It seems the way back is safer than the way in...

And, she might even found a spot where she can exercise that more pure satyr energy on her boyfriend just her and he while Zane and Rikki have to wait

Or she might not, her memories of THAT upon returning are a bit vague

Rikki and Zane may have had to amuse themselves for a time, yes.. what together or apart, well, that’s only their call

Entirely possible... but as they finally step off the trod, Rikki magics the redcap's pants to come loose and they bolt

That is, our heroes do, thanks to distraction. And...the memories fade, or start to 'breathe the fumes from that flask, Piper" Zane directs

“What??” She had to remember for a second. Flask? But, right! The flask! She takes a big whiff.

And ONE Memory comes strong, or starts o

to*

"the wisdom, focus on what it taught you, quick while tha lasts"

A bit confused, but she tries to focus…

And, she remembers a rather grueling ordeal, like a dream that sticks with you, which makes sense. It IS what she came for, the lessons of wisdom. And wisdom hinted if she passedi would no be for nothing

She thinks back, what else can she recall? The trip is already starting to fade… there was something she had wanted to remember… before the pools, a series of past lives… a glimpse comes to her of a particularly nasty critter, no, THAT’s not it…

Sister Suffragette!

And she finds it... the curly haired Autumn Sidhe side by side with her, Shoulder to Shoulder

"Yes!" She suddenly shouts.

Then, a sheepish smile over at her companions. "Sorry, just... remembered something. I thought it was gone."